Apparatus for ramming charges of turret or barbette guns.



No. 654,443. Patented July 24, I900. A. T. DAWSON & J. HORNE.

APPARATUS FOR BAMMING OHARGES 0F TUBBET 0B BARBET TE GUNS.

(Application filed. Mar. 26, 1900.)

5 Sheets8heet I,

(No. Model.)

No. 654,443. Patented July 24, I900. A. T. DAWSON & J. HORNE.

APPARATUS FOR RAMMING CHARGES 0F TURRET 0R BARBETTE GUNS.

(Application filed. Mar. 26, 1900.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 654,443. Patented July 24, I900.

A. T. DAWSON &. J. HORNE.

APPARATUS FOR BAMMING CHARGES 0F TURRET 0R BARBETTE GUNS.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1900.)

(No Model.)

5 SheetsSheet 3,

w A K No. 654,443. Patented July 24, I900.

I A. T. DAWSON & J. HORNE. APPARATUS FOR BAMNIING CHARGES 0F TURRET 0R BARBETTE GUNS.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1900.)

5 ShaetsSheet 4,

(No Modal.)

waif/(eases v No. 654,443. Patented July 24, I900.

A. T. DAWSON 8. J. HORNE.

APPARATUS FOR RAMMING CHARGES 0F TURRET 0R BARBETTE GUNS.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1900.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5,

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, OF LONDON, AND JAMES HORNE, OF BARROW-' IN-FURNESS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO THE VICKERS, SONS -& 'MAXIM, LIMITED, OF SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,44 dated July 24, 1900.

' Application filed March 26,1900. Serial No. 10,251. (No'modeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,ARTHUR TREVOR DAW- SON, residing at 28 Victoria street, Westminster, London, and JAMES HORNE, residing at Barrow-in-Furness, in the county of Lancaster, England, citizens of England, have invented a certain new and useful Apparatus for Ramming the Charges of Heavy Turret or Barbette Guns, (for which we have applied for re a patent in' Great Britain, dated May 4, 1899,

' No. 9,415,) of which the following is a specification.

' Our invention relates to apparatus for ramming the cliaqges of large-caliber guns in barbettes or turrets,.as we shall describe, referring to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 an end view, and Fig. 3 a plan, of ramming apparatus according to our invention and of the loadingcage with which it operates. Fig. 4 is a section of the casing of the rammer, showing the sprocket wheel and chain in elevation. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation having its upper partlin section. Fig. 6 is a part elevation, partly sec tional, of the side of the casing which is. on the left in looking toward the gun. Fig. '7 is a rear elevation of part of the cage carrying the projectile.

a is part of the gun-breech, having a loado ing-tray 15 introduced to guide the projectile p and the explosiwe charge clear of the screwthreads for the breech-plug.

On the loading-arm or rearward extension b of the gun-slide we mount a rammer appa- 3 5 ratus comprising a rammer-head 0, having attached to its stem a chain 1, passing over a sprocket-wheel d, which is worked by a hydraulic motor e. To provide for rapid retraction of the rammer without shock, a hy- 0 draulic spring-bufier f receives the blow of the rammer-head c on its return. A springbolt 9, which is held back by the rammerhead when retracted, on the rammer begin-' ning to advance engages under a flange mof 5 the cageh, which has brought up the projectile 19, and prevents the cage from being lowered until the rammer is quite withdrawn, its head 0 retracting the bolt g.

The motor e for working the sprocket-wheel d is mounted on the arm I) and connected, preferably, through bevelgear n to the sprocketwheel d, as shown.

The gearing and connections are so arranged that should the motor or other part of the gear fail a clear space in line with the bore of the gun can be obtained to provide for loading the gun by hand. This is effected by fitting the rearward extension 12 with bracket b, which carries the engine e, and providing guides q on said rearward extension and q on the frame 0 and a screw 4', working in ears on the guides q, with which screw a bracket-nut is, projecting from the frame 0', engages. By manipulating the screw 1', which can be turned by a key applied to its head 8,

the frame 0, sprocket-wheel d, the rammer,

and adjacent parts can be moved up and down in the guides q.

Although we have described the rammer as being worked by a hydraulic engine, obviously any other suitable motor might be employed.

Having thus described the nature of this invention and the best means we know of carryin g the same into practical efiect, we claim Apparatus for ramming the charges of heavy turret or barbette guns, comprising a frame carrying a rammer-head having its stem connected to a chain, a sprocket-wheel engaging the chain and connected by bevel-gear to a hydraulic engine, a hydraulic springbuifer for the rammer-head and a spring-bolt engaging the projectile-cage, said frame being adapted to be slid up and down by a screw worked by'hand, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our-hands in presence otthe subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. JAMES HORNE.

Witnesses to the signature of the abovenamed Arthur 'l revor Dawson:

HENRY KING, GEO. H. BRIDGES. Witnesses to the signature of the abovenamed J ames Horne:

W. H. ATKINSON, HAROLD JAMES. 

